


Sly Selkie

by LetoaSai



Series: Sing to me [4]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Accidental Proposals, Alternate Universe, Hayner is all nerves, M/M, Selkies, Sirens, so many pearls, super on purpose proposals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:35:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25237054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Hayner just thought he was returning a strangers jacket. He wasn't ready for all this...
Relationships: Hayner/Seifer (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Sing to me [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1522925
Comments: 33
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts 
> 
> I saw this prompt and tumblr... at least i think it was tumblr. The problem is i can't remember and can't find it. If you see it, please let me know so i can credit the prompt. ^__^

“You think Scrooge will hire us again this summer?” Pence asked.

“Well, he’ll hire at least one of us.” Olette chuckled. “You know, the one he didn’t catch sleeping behind his restaurant.” 

“Was only once.” Hayner laughed. “All things considered we did a good job. I dunno why he wouldn’t hire us again."

All three of them were gliding across town, traveling by skateboard was faster than walking. Most people around Twilight Town had bikes, scooters, or some other quick methods for traveling the city. No one even gave the three teens a glance. 

They’d been roaming the streets together since they were kids. Now they were weeks away from graduating. 

“Besides,” Hayner continued. “Remy said he’d give me some pointers in the kitchen.” He was headed to Twilight Community in the fall to enter the culinary program. Any tips he could get would help him. 

“Trying to get in the kitchen instead of the waitstaff?” Pence asked. “Think Scrooge will go for it?” 

“If i plead my case, maybe.” Hayner nodded. 

“Twenty munny says he starts you off as a dish washer and by the end of summer you’ll be up to peeling potatoes.” Olette threw him a grin but all three paused their conversation momentarily as they grinded down the railing of the town square steps. 

They’d spent years learning a countless amount of tricks and now their skateboards really were more for travel than entertainment. 

“Potato peeler is generous.” Pence finally added. 

“Ha ha, you two are so funny.” Hayner snickered. “But i’m good with potato peeler. It’s experience and potato peeler at Scrooge’s restaurant is a big deal.” 

It was such a fancy restaurant and reservations were hard to come by. They’d been working there doing odd jobs for the owner Scrooge McDuck for years. They started off hanging posters for him and chasing the imps away. Hayner found sneaking them rolls to the imps worked better at getting rid of them rather than chasing them off with a broom. They came back anyway but they were nicer to Hayner… 

They’d made it all the way to waiters during their school breaks. Hayner liked to think they had one foot in the door already. 

“You know, i don’t know what to do with you being all responsible.” Olette commented. “I mean this from the guy who never once did his summer homework on time.” 

“There’s no room for homework during the summer, Lette.” Hayner snickered. 

“Seconded.” Pence agreed. 

“You two are still fourteen years old.” She laughed, swerving to not hit a man on a bike. “You two wanna go for ice cream?”

“The answer to that is always yes.” Hayner laughed, joined in by the other two a second later. They rolled through town that was bustling with life. People were shopping, working, and wandering. 

Twilight Town had it all. A beach was half an hour away in one direction, mountains an hour away in the other direction, and nearly everything accessible by train. For out of towners it could be a maze of twists and turns but for locals, navigating was easy. 

Hayner and his friends had grown up here and knew every corner. 

The three of them were just a street away from the ice cream shop when something caught his eye. 

“You guys go on ahead, i gotta grab something.” 

“You sure?” Pence asked.

“Yeah, be right there.” Hayner said, swerving down a different street. He knew he’d seen something. Something fell. Well, he was pretty sure something had fallen. He might have been a little too focused on the blond guy, but.. sue him? He was allowed to look. 

The blond guy had been window shopping, peering into shops when his jacket that had been tied around his waist had slumped to the sidewalk. It was resting against his legs while he stood still but when he wandered off to the next shop and left the jacket behind. 

Hayner kicked off a little harder, speeding down sidewalk and coming to an abrupt stop in front of the jacket. It was brownish black and sorta spotted. It was a strange design but whatever. It wasn’t until he picked it up that he found it strange. It was long. The thing must have been ankle length on the guy. It was like fur but not? He had no idea. He was trying to be a chef, he didn’t know a damn thing about fabrics. 

Either way it was soft and probably expensive. He didn't know who wore fur jackets in summer but that was none of his business. Hayner gathered the whole thing in his arms, ignoring the way the hood looked funny. Fashion wasn’t his forte. 

“Hey, wait up man!” Hayner called, kicking off again. He didn’t have that far to go and caught up with the blond guy after only a minute. “Hey you!” 

The blond turned to him just as Hayner tipped back on his board to stop. The guy's eyes widened when he saw the bundle in Hayner’s arms, his hand reflexively going to his waist and realizing his jacket wasn’t where he’d tied it. 

There was a second of fury shining in his gaze before Hayner held his jacket out to him. 

“Here, you dropped this a ways back. You should be more careful.” 

The blond just stared, lips parted in shock as he took his jacket back. He held it to his chest and yep, the thing had to be floor length on him. He was prettier up close and Hayner winced internally. Other than spiky hair he was painfully average. High school had taught him to stay in his lane. Not even the guy flushing pink a little gave Hayner any confidence. He wasn’t saying anything.

“So, glad i could catch up with you.” Hayner said, stepping back onto his board again. “See ya.” 

He turned to ride off, wondering why he felt a hot wave of embarrassment. He hadn’t done anything wrong or embarrassing. He hadn’t even said anything stupid. 

“Wait.” The blond grabbed his wrist and Hayner was surprised he hadn’t been jerked right off the board. “What’s your name?”

“What?” Okay, now he was being stupid. 

“Your name.” he repeated

“Oh, um Hayner.” 

“Hayner.” He repeated, testing it out. He was just staring and Hayner was starting to feel more and more like he’d done something wrong now. 

“Um...yours?” Hayner asked to distract himself from the way the blond was fondling his hand, tracing all of his fingers. He could feel all the blood in his body racing to his face. 

“Seifer.” He said, so matter of fact. Whatever had stunned him before seemed to be wearing off. 

“O..kay.” Hayner said, gently tugging his hand back. He jerked a little more than he’d meant to and Seifer met his eyes. “Well i’m glad you’re good now. I should get going.” 

“Where?”

That was...what? Okay, maybe this was more stranger danger than pretty guy window shopping. 

“I’m meeting friends.” He said, pushing off and rolling a few feet away. “See you later!” He threw up a hand and waved as he rolled away. 

He didn’t look back, too many shivers running up and down his spine. The entire encounter had been strange but by the time he made it to the ice cream shop he was feeling mostly normal again. 

~

Graduation was close, literally just days away and it was excitement felt all over Twilight Town. Everyone was getting ready for the graduation parties that would follow to kick off the summer fun. 

Hayner had finally gotten the call he wanted. He’d been hired again. Hired in the kitchen no less when Remy didn’t have a problem taking him on. This would be amazing on his transcripts. 

Yes, he’d be spending chunks of his summer in a kitchen but that was money in his pocket and experience to actually get a job again later. 

He rolled down the street, waving to a few store owners he’d know all his life. Other people who had employed him at one point of another even if it was just for an afternoon when he was a kid. 

He was on his own today, wondering if he should do a little shopping. He’d be in the kitchen but that didn’t mean he couldn’t look on the presentable side. He wouldn’t get to wear the nifty chef jacket or anything but he could clean up nice and not give Scrooge anything to complain about. Even if it was just a nice t-shirt. Definitely something to think about. 

He’d been in that kitchen so many times he had a good idea over what was acceptable. Maybe he’d have to be a little more firm with the imps that often tried to break into restaurants…

Hayner skidded through town, avoiding a group of smaller kids on roller skates. There were a few girls in the back, two of them helping a third stay on her feet in what was obviously her first time skating. Something about that was just cute. 

He passed the shops and was _not_ looking for a weird blond with a fur coat. That encounter had been days before and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It had been so strange that he couldn’t shove it from his mind.

He must have just been passing through. Hayner knew most of the residents in Twilight Town. Maybe not by name but he was good with faces. He was positive he’d never seen Seifer before. 

When he took a sharp corner he nearly face planted, someone ramming into his back as two skateboards collided. 

“Damn it!” Hayner hissed, only his palm scraped but laughter had him looking up. “Roxas!” 

Roxas was laughing, that gut wrenching amusement that couldn’t be faked “I’ve been chasing you for four blocks!” 

“You could have called out!”

“Chasing you was so much more fun.” He snickered, still laying on the sidewalk. 

“You are such a dork.” Hayner finally grinned and got to his feet. “What are you doing here? You usually call.” 

Roxas lived just outside of Twilight Town in lush woods that almost backed up to the mountains. He liked his privacy and liked to be alone even more. Still, sometimes he wanted company and would call Hayner, Pence, or Olette when he planned on making a trip into the city. 

“I was passing through. I spent some time with Sora on his beach. Was fun.” Roxas finally for up, a grin still on his face. 

“Oh yeah?” Hayner felt a little envious. He loved the beach. Sora wasn't even on the beach close by but had a whole strip of beach to himself on the coast a little further away on Destiny Island. “How’s Sora?” 

Roxas leaned down to pick up his board. “He’s great. He’s dating a siren.” 

“Wha-?” Hayner blinked in surprise, “Like Scrooge?” 

The owner of Le Grand Bistrot and Hayner’s on again/off again boss was a siren. A bird creature that usually lived in the mountains and lured people towards them with their voices. Scrooge however liked food. Not just eating humans. He liked all kinds of food and money and it made more sense to open up shop then kill humans for a snack. Not everyone was a fan but Scrooge’s restaurant was one of the best in Twilight Town. 

“Nah, one of those island sirens. He’s half fish.” Roxas said and Hayner wasn’t sure what to make of that. “He’s an alright guy. Looks at Sora like he personally crafted every star in the sky. It’s borderline nauseating.” 

Hayner rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. Roxas cared a great deal more than he’d verbalize. 

“Might head back down again in another two of three weeks. They’re good company.” Roxas shrugged. 

“You don’t gotta go that far for company.” Hayner offered, “Grab something to eat?” 

“Yeah.” Roxas nodded, starved after his train ride. “And i know i can come see you guys whenever. I think it’s just Sora i miss. We were hardly apart as kids." People treated them more like twins than cousins. 

Hayner snorted. “Maybe i’ll tag along if i can. I’d love to go to the beach. I did get a summer job though.”

“Oh yeah?” 

They walked through the city, catching up and stopping at three different venders for different foods to split. Making an afternoon if it seemed like the thing to do and if Hayner would be working soon, he really wouldn’t have the time later. He was going to have to pack in a lot of fun on his days off. 

When they stopped to sit on a bench Roxas finally switched topics. “So what’s the matter with you?” 

“With me?” 

“Yeah. You’ve been spacy. Even before i rammed into you, you were looking around like you were lost.” 

Hayner rolled his eyes. Figures. “How long were you actually following me?” 

“Long enough.” Roxas shrugged. “Now spill. What’s the matter?” 

“It’s nothing, man.” 

“And no one believes that.” 

Hayner groaned. “It’s stupid and nothing.” 

“Yeah?” Roxas looked amused. “Go on.” 

“Ugh, stupid perceptive people.” 

“That's me, stupid perceptive.” 

Hayner gave him an annoyed glance and sighed. “Bumped into a guy the other day. Was just sorta looking.” 

“Intrigue.” Roxas smiled, knowing he'd get more out of him. “Been a while since you had a crush, right?” 

“That’s just it though.” Hayner muttered. “I’m not sure what it is. He was cute, sure but i’m not sure i’d call it a crush. I don’t know. Only talked to him for like two minutes but the whole thing was strange.” 

Roxas hummed. “Strange how?” 

Hayner didn’t really want to explain it, but it had been bugging him. He hadn’t really mentioned it to Pence and Olette other than helping someone out for a second. It hadn’t seemed like a big deal at the time but he couldn’t leave it alone. He couldn’t stop thinking about Seifer either. 

It wasn’t really like him. He knew better than to have crushes where they didn’t belong. Still, talking about it with Roxas helped. 

“And he just stared at you and asked your name?” Roxas frowned. 

“Yeah. It was the weirdest thing.” Hayner said. “I didn’t think it was a big deal.” 

Roxas’ brow raised. “And it was a fur coat?” 

“I think so. I’m not entirely sure what it was made out of it.” 

“And it was as tall as he was?” 

“Yes?” Hayner frowned. “Why?” 

“Well…” Roxas managed a smile. “You could be in trouble my friend, or not. Guess that depends on you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Roxas gave him a look that said he was stupid. “Sounds like you met a selkie.” 

Hayner mauled that over. “The seals. Okay?” 

“What do you know about selkie’s, Hayner?” 

He thought about it for a second but he knew little. “They’re usually by the ocean towns right? Seals that can shed their skin and come onto land. Super pretty.” That suited Seifer. “People steal their skins, right?” 

“Right.” Roxas said. “Their _jackets_.” 

Hayner blinked. “Oh. Right.” 

Roxas smiled, having too good of a time. “And what happens when a person returns a selkie skin of their own free will?” 

“What?” 

“They’re married.” 

Hayner blinked, not understanding the information. “What?” 

“Married. You proposed to him, Hayner. As far as that guy is concerned, you're married.” 

“No, i didn’t!” Hayner inhaled, face going hot. 

“You did. Sounds like he accepted. I mean, i guess he accepted.” Roxas shrugged. “Selkie’s aren’t really my area.” 

“No way.” Hayner muttered. “No way he’d just accept something like that. He dropped his jacket and i handed it back to him. That’s all. I haven’t seen him since anyway.” 

“Okay, Hay.” Roxas mused. “I’m just saying, don’t be shocked when he reappears. He _will_ reappear.” 

“Then what?” 

“Dunno.” 

Hayner had paled a little. “It’s not like i can do what he does.” He wasn't a selkie. 

“And he’s aware of that,” Roxas mused, trying to make him feel a little better. “If Sora can make it work with a siren, you can make it work with a selkie.” 

“But i don’t even know him!” Hayner’s voice went up and octave. 

Roxas shrugged again. “So get to know him.” 

Hayner groaned, burying his face in his hands as embarrassment nipped at him. He’d unknowingly...proposed to a selkie… 

Of course he did… 

~

That nervous excitement was settling in. Tomorrow afternoon Hayner would graduate and his summer would really start. 

He didn’t start working for a week and a half and those first few days would be spent sleeping in and hanging out with his friends. They might even sneak in a beach trip before he got serious about being a potato peeler. 

A little practice, a little schooling, a little hands on experience and he’d make chef yet. 

He’d been out, celebrating early with Prence, Olette, and other kids from school. There had been a party and a little drinking with dozens of teens excited about their next stretch of life. 

It was midnight by the time Hayner was walking home. The moon was full and he had his skateboard under his arm. Walking felt nice tonight. Everything was closed for the night and the bustling Twilight Town was calm and quiet. Wandering around town in these moments was like sharing a secret. 

No one knew where he was but the moon. 

“Hayner.” 

He jumped, swirling around to find someone walking towards him in the dark. It should have been eerie, having someone approach him in the middle of the night where no one else was around. However it was hard to misplace the tall blond walking towards him in the moonlight. He was wearing this jacket this time, well his arms were in the sleeve and the jacket itself hung down around his waist, dragging along behind him. 

He was pretty, too pretty. No wonder he was selkie. They didn’t have the reputation for seducing people the way sirens did but they were an alluring race. 

“Seifer…” 

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. He’d proposed to this man like a complete idiot. 

No one wanted to marry him, let alone a stunning selkie. Roxas said he’d be back maybe this was just a gentle let down kind of a moment. Maybe Seifer wouldn’t actually laugh in his face. He hadn’t known anyway. He didn’t know this guy, it shouldn’t sting. 

“Found you.” he muttered and Hayner didn’t even want to think about that. How had Seifer found him? Granted, no one else was around but how did Seifer know he’s be around here?

“Oh-ah?” Hayner muttered. “Yeah, look. No hard feelings, really.” 

Seifer tilted his head as if not understanding and continued walking towards him. 

“You’re a strange human.” He muttered. “A bit of a doofus, but you’re kind.” 

Hayner fought the urge to wince. It wasn’t the meanest thing ever said to him but as far as compliments went…

“It’s alright. Anyway. I should go home.” 

“Wait.” Seifer said easily. When he was in front of Hayner he grabbed his wrist and slipped something into his hand. 

Hayner’s confusion doubled but he looked at the trinket and turned scarlet. A ring. A silver band that cradled a beautiful white pearl. It was simple, but it was breathtaking. 

“I...What?” He looked up at Seifer, sure he looked like a deer in headlights. 

“Your proposal was unexpected but special. I wanted to return it in kind. Humans offer rings for a proposal, right?” Seifer suddenly looked smug. “I found the pearl myself or i would have had it for you sooner. 

“But.. what?” He was shaking, was he shaking? God, was this crazy Selkie actually going through with this proposal?

“You didn’t know what returning my skin meant, did you?” Seifer’s smile only grew. “I think i like you more.” 

Hayner was relatively sure some part of his brain had just shut off. How could this just happen? “I...I have to go.” he said quickly. “Thank you.” He added, actually turning to run the rest of the way home rather than dropping his board and getting away faster. He wasn’t thinking. Couldn’t. Seifer just let him go. 

Hayner clutched the ring right in his hand, holding it to his chest as he fled. He was married to a Selkie.


	2. Chapter 2

Pearls. Pearls… 

Hayner kept finding pearls. Some were beautifu,l large, untouched pearls and others came as brand new rings. Each a little different from the last. The metals were different and some came with chips of sea glass or lined with other stones like opals. 

They were breathtaking and Hayner was just plain overwhelmed. Over the course of the last few weeks he’d seen Seifer six more times and each time he was presented a ring and asked to accept Seifer's proposal of marriage. 

Hayner just didn’t know what to do. To the selkie they were already married, but Seifer seemed to be going out of his way to make sure they were on equal footing. It was something Hayner didn’t understand. How was returning his skin the same as a truly extraordinary amount of perfect pearls? 

It had taken a call from Roxas to put in in perspective. 

“Hayner, people steal selkie skins to try and own them. It would force them to stay on land. Even if they went back in the ocean it would be without their _skin_. A part of themselves. They have a bad reputation for tricking humans and being overall manipulative but it’s all to get their skins back. It’s understandable really.” 

He hadn’t thought of it that way. Sure he knew the stories and the legends and the rumors but he’d never had a reason to really _think_ about them. 

“Now here you were in the perfect position to be one more asshole, and you returned it. You didn’t ask for anything. No strings attached. You returned his skin to him. As far as selkies are concerned, that’s a declaration of love.” 

Roxas had just laughed as he continued. “He likely doesn’t know human culture perfectly no matter how well he can blend in. He’s likely trying to offer you gifts the only way he knows how.”

Hence the pearls. 

He’d even found a pearl on his pillow in his bedroom one evening. He didn’t know how Seifer had found out where he lived and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He was only glad his parents hadn’t seen a thing. That would have taken some explaining.

What was he supposed to say? He didn’t know Seifer. Fairy tale marriages didn’t work out, did they? Seifer was a creature of the sea and Hayner could never be anything like that. What a headache. 

He’d finally broken down and told Olette and Pence and instead of the laughter he’d expected he got stunned stares. It was almost as relief that they were taking this as seriously as he was. Olette had asked to see the rings and Pence wanted to know about Seifer. It was… such an odd situation. 

They were in the middle of summer and had been working at Le Grand Bistrot five and a half days a week. He had gone from a dishwasher to a potato peeler so far but he got to watch Remy cook and still had the second half of the summer to maybe get to vegetable chopper. It was good progress!

It was their Tuesday off and they’d taken a spontaneous trip to the beach. It was summer so it was crowded but it was a weekday so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. They spent most of the day in the water, alternating for ice cream breaks and drying off in the sun. 

By afternoon they were worn out, Olette sunning on the blanket while Pence sat under the beach umbrella in the shade to read. Hayner had spent a little while helping a bunch of kids with their sandcastle before taking a walk along the beach to pick up some shells for his mom. She’d always liked that kind of thing. 

He figured he’d get to the pier and turn back around again. As he strolled he watched his feet, picking up a few of the prettier shells along the way. He’d walked this shore so many times throughout his life that he occasionally wondered if he really could do it blindfolded. 

When he got to shade, he glanced up with a faint smile. He was under the pier and over the water he could see the fishing lines sticking out into the water. Summer really was in full swing. 

He remembered being little and playing under this pier with Pence and Olette. It was their beach fort. They’d hide from their parents there, they’d hide from the bigger, meaner kids too. It was always a safe place. 

He stepped into the water and bent to grab another shell, one bigger but dropped it in disappointment when it proved to be broken. He’d only just straightened when he was splashed in the face. 

“Hey!” he said automatically, wiping off his face and blinking in confusion when he stared at a seal bobbing in the water. What...were the odds? “Seifer?” 

The seal, presumably Seifer barked before ducking under water again. Hayner didn’t have time to wonder where he was going before blond hair breached the water's surface. It was Seifer alright, only naked and Hayner got an eye full before he went scarlet and looked away. 

He didn’t know how the whole Selkie skin thing worked but Seifer was tying it around his waist like he’d had it the other day.

“Hayner.” Seifer said as he walked out of the water, his voice a combination of taunting, teasing, and fond. “In my territory today?” 

“For the afternoon,” Hayner cleared his throat. Seifer circled around him slowly, and he’d never been so embarrassed to be seen in only his swimming trunks but Seifer’s eyes were definitely going over him. 

Seifer nudged at his hands curiously. “Shells?” He blinked, confusion coloring his tone. “You..prefer shells?” 

“What?” Hayner blinked, “Oh, no. My mom.. She likes them so i always bring her a few when i visit the beach.” 

He hummed and nodded his understanding. “Okay then. Since you’re here.” He dug into his skin and Hayner knew what was coming. He felt his face sting hot as Seifer produced another ring. A black pearl this time set in gold. 

He was absolutely speechless, dropping the shells he held when Seifer took his hand to place the ring on his palm. 

Seven. Seven rings. 

“I..i just…” Hayner swallowed. “I don’t really know what to do.” 

“Accept it.”

“It’s not as easy as that.” Hayner mumbled. He was only eighteen. This felt way too big. 

Seifer just grunted. “You’re a challenge. I accept that. It’s good.” 

Hayner had been called challenging before but never as a compliment. 

“I’ll find something else.” Seifer mused, looking out into the ocean. His face was serious, almost brooding but Hayner suddenly wondered if that was just his… ‘thinking’ face. 

“You.. you don’t have you.” Hayner said, but got his nose flicked in response. 

“My spouse will get the proposal they deserve.” The words were possessive and Hayner knew his face must have looked sunburned. Seifer had his pride… 

“See you next time.” Seifer continued, bending down to peck a kiss against the corner of Hayner’s mouth before taking off back to the ocean. He was knee deep before he started sliding his jacket back on, diving under water again. 

Hayner just stared, one hand covered his mouth while he held the ring in the other. Stunned. He was stunned. He’d always been one of the troublemakers, not one of the popular kids. Someone like that didn’t go around kissing him. 

He staggered back down the beach towards his friends, his shells forgotten. Seifer was really serious about this. 

“Hayner?” Pence sounded a touch worried and it drew Olette’s gaze. “You okay?” 

Hayner didn’t say anything, just held up the black pearl ring. 

“Woah..” Olette stared. “It’s beautiful.” 

“Yeah.” Hayner said, dropping down onto the blanket. “It is…” 

~

The gifts continued. Strands of pearls in various colors and sizes. Two more rings. Sea glass with little sea animals carved into them. Sea turtles and starfish. Sharks and octopus. There were little decorations made from seaweed and large fish kept appearing in his fridge much to his parent’s confusion. 

Hayner was starting to lose it. He didn’t know Seifer but with every thoughtful gift he got a little more flustered. He felt a little more special. What would happen if he agreed to this arrangement and Seifer lost interest once he stopped being a challenge? 

Maybe he was over thinking things. That was likely… 

It had been weeks since they first met and Seifer was never far from his thoughts. It was impossible to not look for him while he rolled his way through the city to and from work. He wasn’t the only one that had noticed either. Besides his friends, his parents had started asking questions about his mood and the sudden influx of pearls. Even Scrooge had definitely noticed though he didn’t say anything about it. 

Hayner heaved a sigh, walking out the back of the restaurant at the end of his shift. It was a bit of an early night for him and he was all the more relieved for it. He was so ready to go to bed and sleep the rest of the night. 

He wandered out towards the main street, his board under his arm as he walked. He really didn’t have the energy to ride through the city. Every time he yawned he regretted not calling someone for a ride home. 

“Well, Hayner. It’s been a while.” 

Hayner made a face at the voice. He didn’t have time for this. He turned and gave Setzer an unimpressed look. “What?” 

The silver hair man grinned, only a few years older than Hayner. He’d always teased him in school until Hayner hit about fifteen, then that attention turned into something far less harmless. 

“What? That’s how you greet an old friend?” 

“We’re not friends. We never were.” Hayner scowled, turning away again but he felt Setzer’s fingers brush the back of his neck and he froze, fist clenching. 

“Not for lack of trying.” Setzer muttered against his ear. “Don’t you think it’s time you stopped playing coy?” 

“Get off.” Hayner turned his head just enough to look at Setzer and glare. 

Setzer’s smile just widened. “It could be like old times.” 

“Get. Off.” 

“You really haven’t changed at all. Cept your age.” Setzer chuckled, pulling Hayner closer to him briefly but he was yanked away and thrown to the ground a second later. 

Seifer hovered over him, looking nothing short of furious and Hayner’s jaw dropped. Now was not the time for stupid butterflies to fill his stomach. 

“Who the fuck do you think you are!?” Setzer snapped, attempting to get up but Seifer shoved him down again. 

“You try to get up again, i’ll kick your ass and toss you in the ocean.” Seifer threatened, voice like steel. 

Hayner bristled. “I don’t need you fighting my battles for me Sei!”

“Hear that?” Setzer said snidely. “He doesn't need you.” 

“Shut that fuck up, Setzer.” Hayner snapped. “You’re the damn creep here.” 

Setzer tried to get up again and Seifer only punched him once, laying him out flat. 

“You touch my spouse again and i really will toss you in the ocean and you won’t be swimming your way back to shore.” Seifer seethed. 

Setzer was so busy holding his nose that it was hard to say if he’d heard him or not but Seifer left him there. He took Hayner’s arm and pulled him down the street in the direction of his house. 

“What are you doing?!” Hayner complained 

“Putting distance between you and the interloper.” Seifer said, bad mood still evident. 

Hayner tried to keep up but his stride wasn’t quite as long. “I don’t need you sticking up for me. I’ve dealt with that jerk for years. Slow down.” 

“Well now you won’t have to deal with him at all.” Seifer said, not the least bit apologetic. He didn’t however pause to give Hayner a once over and slowed his pace. “Are you okay…?” 

“I...yes.” Hayner said firmly, still wanting to be mad but it had already been a long day. 

“Good.” Seifer said, finally sighing. “Good.” 

There was a silence between them and Hayner realized that Seifer was walking him home. His jacket billowed out behind him like a cape and Hayner was getting some serious… awkward prince charming vibes. 

Prince charming was too weird to compare Seifer too. Seifer would be more like the moody sorcerer that lived in a tower. Hayner felt his lips twitch into a smile. Yeah, moody sorcerer sounded better. 

“I don’t know what to do with you.” Hayner finally sighed, hardly realizing he was holding onto Seifer’s hand. 

“Humans overthink everything.” Seifer said instead. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about assholes like that back there. Who even was that?” 

“Just a jerk i went to school with. That’s all. I was going to end up hitting him before you stepped in.” Seifer just grunted. He was happy to do the punching himself. 

He watched Hayner out of the corner of his eye for a moment, likely thinking he’d like to see that fight though. “You’re tired. You’re not riding tonight.” he observed. 

“No.” Hayner yawned. “Wasn’t feeling coordinated enough.” 

Seifer just nodded and they kept walking. Having someone to walk home with, even a quiet walk, was a nice change of pace. It was like the selkie was looking out for him and… well that was probably exactly what he was doing. Why else would he have just appeared randomly right when Hayner needed him? Was that a selkie thing? Was Seifer stalking him or did he just know when his spouse was in trouble? 

Spouse, yeah, Hayner was still having trouble with that. He just had to stop and realize that he was embarrassed. It was as simple as that. Sure he’d thought about getting married someday but it felt years off and even that would have been after some long dating period.

To just suddenly be married… it was an adjustment. 

When he ended up in front of his house he stood there awkwardly. “So...thanks.” 

“Hm…” Seifer smiled faintly. He tugged Hayner’s face back to kiss him, this one a little more spot on than the first. He seemed to enjoy the way Hayner instantly went red. “I’ll see you again soon.” He dug around in his jacket for a moment and Hayner was expecting another ring. Instead, Seifer pulled a large green conch shell. It was huge, like the size of Hayner’s head huge. 

How the hell had he been carrying that? 

He’d never seen such a shimmering green shell before and… fuck it was pretty. When Hayner stared up at him, eyes confused, Seifer shrugged. 

He started walking away again and offered a wave. “For your mother.” 

Hayner felt his face inflamed still, his heart thudding a little faster. That was….a sweet gesture. 

~

Hayner was humming, mood heightened by running out on his break to grab an ice cream. Nothing beat a hard day in a hot kitchen like a cold seasalt ice cream. 

He only had a few more weeks before school began and Scrooge had offered him a job two or three nights a week! It was already headed towards being a good day. His only regret for the day was that he hadn’t bought two ice creams when he had the chance. He was already finished the first and still had the rest of his lunch break to kill. Maybe he could do a little window shopping. Twilight Town was a big place, he’d find something to do. 

He’d pop back inside the restaurant for a second to wash the ice cream off his hands and head back out again. When he turned the corner he blinked, watching the imps tugging on one grumpy selkie. 

“Get off me, rodents.” Seifer snapped, only getting laughed at. 

“They’re like that.” Hayner said, smiling at the selkie and hoping he didn’t look too nervous. The imps on the other hand cried out in delight and made a beeline for him. “Hey, hey, i see you. You know how it works, i’ll bring you the day old stuff tonight.” 

Seifer looked surprised. “You feed them?” 

“Well, chasing them away doesn't really work.” Hayner said. “Just makes them moody and play pranks. It’s easier just to be a little nice to them.” 

Two of the imps cuddled up to him and Seifer just scowled, looking every bit like he was fighting the urge to bark at them. Possessive selkie… 

Hayner smiled and shooed the imps off. “I’ll feed you before i go home tonight, promise. I’ll leave it out in the usual place.” 

That got him an all new round of cheers. 

Hanyer chuckled and raised his gaze to Seifer’s again. “What about you? Are..you hungry?” 

Seifer shrugged, giving nothing away other than his distaste for imps. 

“Well,” Hayner started. “Why don’t you go around front and sit at one of the tables and i’ll be right out with something for you?” 

“You..” Seifer blinked. “Okay.” Something about the surprise on Seifer’s face was satisfying. 

He headed in the back door again, assuming Seifer would do as he asked and went to wash his hands as originally intended. Next he headed to the cooler where he’d been keeping a few things. Remy had been letting him make practice meals from the menu all week and he’d been taking them home to his parents to eat whenever they came out even mildly successful. Now he had something for sure he could offer Seifer. It only took a few minutes to heat everything up and then with the trained hands of a teen who’d been a waiter off and on for years, carried everything through the restaurant to out front to where Seifer sat as far off in the corner as he could get. A little table for two. 

“Okay. Be brutally honest, i can take it.” Hayner beamed, a touch excited as he set down the plates, utensils and glasses of water. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so i brought a little of everything.” 

Seifer stared with wide eyes, sniffing everything with clear interest. “What is it?” 

“This is scallop poêlé, i’m not sure how it turned out so be honest. We have a crab bisque, stuffed quail, and a fruit gelée. I’m still practicing and this shit isn’t easy to make so i've been looking for someone who won’t just smile and tell me it’s alright.”

He’d tasted everything himself but he’d eat chicken nuggets and call it good enough so he might not have had the best pallet to judge. 

“You made all this?” Seifer asked, looking fairly impressed. “Really?” 

“Yeah. It’s why i work in the kitchen, to learn. I’m going for a culinary degree this fall.” Hayner said, only a little embarrassed to share his plans. 

“Cooking.” Seifer repeated. “That’s cool. Providing food it necessary.” He picked up his fork and started with the scallop’s and nearly purred after the first bite. “It’s good. It’s really, really good.” 

His eyes nearly sparkling and he tried everything, going back to each in no particular order and looking delighted by it. 

Hayner was flustered and never realized how nice it felt when someone enjoyed eating the food he’d worked really hard on. Like really hard on… he might not be chef level yet but he was working on it. 

“I’m glad.” Hayner said, wondering when Seifer ate last. He was really going at it. “I can cook for you when you’re hanging around if you want.” 

Seifer hummed, slowing down to respond “Yeah? This is good. No wonder you work at a fancy place.” 

Hayner shrugged. “I’ve been practicing at home with the fish you’ve been leaving too.” 

“I don’t eat much cooked food but this is delicious.” Seifer muttered. “I’d try more if you wanted.” It seemed like a shy way of asking for more and Hayner had to smile. 

“Sure. Believe it or not, people get tired of it when i try to shove food at them to taste.” Hayner explained. 

Seifer’s brows rose. “Who would get tired of tasty food?” 

“It happens.” Hayner shrugged, enjoying watching him eat. It was oddly honest. “I do have to get back to work soon, but you take your time and finish eating.” 

“I will walk you home.” Seifer said. It wasn’t quite a demand but it wasn’t exactly a request either. Regardless, Hayner laughed. 

“Yeah, okay. That sounds nice.” 

Seifer fidgeted a moment before pulling out another pearl ring. This one was pink and almost dainty. It was a pretty piece and he had no idea how Seifer kept making them. He chalked it up to selkie stuff. 

“You know… i’m still nervous about this. I feel like there are things i just don’t understand.” Hayner admitted. “I feel like i’m walking blind sometimes.” 

“Like a seal out of water?” Seifer offered. 

Hayner cracked a smile. “Yeah.” Maybe they were an odd match. “Like that.” 

As long as Seifer understood... Hayner took the ring and stared at it a long moment. It was really so damn pretty… He glanced up at Seifer as he slid it onto his finger. A perfect fit. He’d tried them all on at home when no one was looking. They were all the perfect size. 

Seifer’s lips were parted in surprise. “You...accept?” he asked cautiously. 

“Yes. I don’t know what i’m doing and i’m nervous as fuck about it but yes.” Hayner said, face pink. 

Seifer exhaled and smirked. “Well, i think we’ll both have a bit of a learning curve to figure out. Nothing wrong with that.” 

Hayner swallowed, nerves settling a little. “You eat, I have to get back in the kitchen before Scrooge fires me.” He stood and paused. “I’ll… see you later tonight.” 

“Yeah.” Seifer nodded, looking some mixture of smug and relieved. 

Hayner offered one more smile and headed back inside. He was married to a Selkie.


End file.
